Happy 1st Birtbday Moca

Happy birthday our mischievious and playful four legged daughter, Moca!

Though sometimes you really gave us a headache and kept us busy playing fetch, we still love you as much. We might pay lesser attention to you recently after Renae was born, but our love for you is still the same! We know you are never jealous over Renae and in fact, we knew you can't wait to play with her.

Happy 1 year old Moca! Can't wait to spend our time back in SG!

Home Sweet Home

After ten days of stay in St.Luke Meridian, Renae finally discharge. She was great and there was no symptoms of meningitis in the lab test.

As first time parents, Ju and I were struggling to figure out how to install the car seat and how to let Renae be comfortable throughout the journey back home.

Throughout the journey from hospital to home, Renae slept soundly. We had so many things to unpack and was really exhausted with the lack of sleep. But most importantly, Renae is back home! Moca was very excited and wanted to play with Renae. It just feels great to be home!

P.S. The staffs in St Luke Meridian were awesome, wonderful and professional! Their service is top class! Staying in the hospital is no fun but the staffs made our stay an enjoyable one! Thank you all so much!

St Luke stay begins

To take care of Renae, it is best for us to stay in the hospital. We will be able to look after her ourselves and monitor her condition. After all, she's our baby.

Rename condition was always improving. From being sleepy to being active looking around her and drinking very well. The staffs in St Luke Meridian Hospital are fantastic! They constantly checked on Renae and ensure she is fine. As Renae began to drink well, she was removed from IV and allowed to sleep with us.

For the next few days, her conditon got better. We finally can rest our minds as our little girl works towards full recovery. If nothing goes wrong, Saturday she will be coming home with us.

Can't wait for that day to arrive!

P.S. Ju has been a wonderful mother. Feeding her, changing her and clean her up. Ju, you are awesome!

Sepsis

Sepsis: The presence of harmful bacteria and toxins in the blood. Infection of wound.
I came to know about this illness after doc told us Renae was infected. That was probably why she did not want to drink and kept sleeping.

Next day, Renae was sent to St Luke Meridian for treatment where there are more resources there. Ju had a fever and treated too. The most probable cause to that could be the sanitization during labour.

Renae was tested positive that night for GBS ( Group B Streptococcus) and have to be treated with antibiotics for 10 days. We were given a room to stay in so that we can monitor Renae's condition and at the same time, take care of her.

4 Nov: The Intensive Labour

In the wee hours of 4 Nov, Ju told me she felt some contraction. After few minutes of consideration, we decided to go to the hospital. As Ju dilation was still about 3cm, we were discharged. After we came home, I went to bed, thinking that I only have 4 hrs to rest.

At 3.30am, Ju woke me up again and this time, the contraction was more intense. We quickly proceed to the hospital and this time, she got a 5 cm dilation and needed to be admitted. In a flash, the anesthetic was here to set up the epidural process. Everything happened so quickly and the next moment, Ju was under epidural. However,.she could only felt her right leg was numb.

She suffered contraction pain for about 2-3 hours and there was some contradiction whether to reseat the epidural. With some persuasion, she decided to go against reseating the epidural and to break the water bag. At around 7, the doctor broke the water bag and warned that the contraction would be worse.

The next few hours, there wasn't any dilation but unbearable pain. Pain that felt like 100 knives piercing through Ju's intestine. I was heartbroken to see her in such pain. Usually, her pain tolerance was sky high. This time she was defeated by the intense contraction. For 2 hours, there was.no dilation. Worse still, the next shift doctor recommended the injection of petocine. Things got worse. Ju gave up and asked for another dose of epidural.

The second epidural was effective and Ju could take a rest to prepare for the finale. We took a 2 hrs nap before the doctor came in to check. "Alright, you're ready!" I got excited. The medical staff started to prepare for the finale. The scene was like soldiers preparing for war.

Push! Push! That's the command we gave Ju whenever she felt contraction. Every push was a progress and for the first time I saw our baby's hair. Omg! She's coming out! After about 40 mins, Renae was born. Our first meeting was a scary one. There was blood on the top of her head and she looked pale. I thought what could had happened. They cleaned her up and and discovered the blood was not hers. It belonged to Ju. Her v was ruptured badly during the labour.

It really hurt but I felt proud for my wife. No one will ever know how she feels. The nurses passed me a pair of.scissors to separate baby away from Ju...

 

The next chapter of our life begins....

P.S. Welcome to the world, Renae Wu!

Anxiously Waiting

Almost a month since last update our blog. Been really busy at work. Preparing for audit, attend course and preparing for a departure of a great leader. Course ending, the great leader departed and audit is undergoing. Stressful weekdays ended with wonderful weekends. Spent our time together with Ma and Pa in Boise. Last weekend, we just had our prenatal photo shoot.

Now, we are anxiously waiting for the arrival of our lovely daughter, Renee. 3 cm dilation and Ju is all ready to deliver. Awesome! I'm a little worried on how she is going to handle the pain. Hopefully everything goes smoothly!

Love you babe!

30

Finally hit the big 3 but the best is yet to come. Just about to own a house (will be in debt for next 30 years), about to have a family and starting to climb the ladder.

No one gets older. They only get wiser. With what I have been through, I believed I have gained more experience and wisdom. My birthday wishes are simple. I wished Jul to be healthy during her pregnancy and post pregnancy. Secondly, I wished Renee to be healthy and happy as she grows up. Lastly, a happy family. Building a strong finance backup used to be my main objective but family love can't be bought.

Looking forward to life beginning with 3. Thanks to all the well wishes.

Days after Chelsea

We brought Chelsea for cremation yesterday. Sending her off for the last time. Seeing her the last time. Evon donated a beautiful durable box as Chelsea's coffin. I picked her up in the morning. Her body had hardened making us more upset. Blood flow out from her nose likely due to the pneumonia.

We had Moca bid her goodbye. Chelsea fed Moca with her milk as she was growing up. Such motherly love. When we finally handed her over for cremation, I opened up the coffin and bid Chelsea our last goodbye. Ju cried and I was fighting back my tears.

Follow your Lord, Chelsea. Don't get lost. Use your instinct. May you enjoy your life in paradise. We will.miss you. Love you, Chelsea.

RIP Chelsea

It was too fast.. Her condition worsened day by day. She was breathing very hard this afternoon. She collapsed 5 times and had difficulty breathing. She still managed to get up and had her dinner.

When I came home, she was still doing well but still breathing hard. I knelt down and 'sayang' her. She looked fine. Suddenly, she got on her feet and sat beside me. Ju was surprised and praised Chelsea for being strong. The very next moment, Chelsea collapsed besides me. This was the sixth time and the last time. She began her struggle for breath as we broke down into tears... Ju tried doing CPR for her but to no avail. Chelsea gasped for air and eventually stopped. She's gone. We broke down. It is so painful.

We wrapped her in a towel and placed her in a box with her favourite bed. She was lying peacefully as though she was sleeping. It is so hard for us. 7 years was just too short.

Chelsea, you've been a great companion! We will miss you guarding us with might, barking at the postman, jumping at us happily, telling us to cuddle you, jumping off the couch whenever we farted etc... Chelsea, you are our greatest friend. We always love you and you will be missed. Rest in peace, Chelsea.

Possible Lymphoma

Today Juliana brought Chelsea to the vet and Chelsea was diagnosed with possible Lymphoma. She was in very bad shape. Her lymph nodes are swollen and the vet said her bone marrow not producing enough red blood cells.

At one point when she got home, she collapsed. Literally collapsed. She whined and went out of breath. She was gasping for air and eventually stopped breathing. Her tongue stuck out and she's gone. Ju hurried to give her a CPR and revived her.

Now she is breathing harder and totally weak. She can t move much. She's no longer the Chelsea we know. We felt heartbroken every time we see her struggle.

Chelsea, we love you. Please bear with it and get well soon.

Chelsea

Chelsea is very sick right now. There are red spots on her belly and she is breathing very hard. Her eyes are bloodshot. She is very weak and even stopped.playing..I.wonder if the vet from Knight Vet did a good job. Her condition got worse ever since.. let's pray she gets better after seeing the vet tmr. Stay strong Chelsea!

P.S. It is really heartbreaking seeing her in this state. Never seen her like this before. Get well soon girl.

4D scan

Man... I have a really busy week at work after the 4 D scan weekend. No time to rest as there are so many things going on.

The 4D scan wasn't successful as Renee was hiding behind the placenta. She was compressing her face to it and was snuggling in Ju. The technician tried to shake Renee to make her shift but she just snuggle into the placenta. Such a darling.

As her due date nears, we are starting to stock up baby stuffs. This weekend, we are going to Boise again for the 4D baby scan and also to buy some baby stuff from Costco.

We are getting more.excited each day even though we just returned from a fantastic Las Veags trip. (Only because of the last day, we are annoyed by the airlines inconsistency in baggage that make us pay more). Ultimately, we had great fun there and had enjoy the food there!

We will post more on Las Vegas trip soon. Hopefully, I have the time. This week is going to be busy too.......

Stay tune!

P.S. Chelsea looks slightly better but she is still breathing abnormally. She has discharge on her eyes and her lymph nodes are still swollen. Hopefully she gets better. Love you Chelsea!

Chelsea's Sick

For the past few weeks, Chelsea has been picky over her food. She doesn't want to eat and that led her to vomit gastric liquid. In the beginning it was pretty normal as we knew she didn't eat her food.
The next few weeks, she was still vomiting. That got us worried and Ju brought her to the vet. The vet didn't do much and postulated that she might be suffering from pancreatitis. She prescribe us some medicine to feed Chelsea.

For few days, Chelsea did not vomit and was behaving normal. She still plays, run around as usual. However, she stopped eating again thereafter and starting vomiting again. Ju had to force her to eat by limiting her playtime. Eventually, Chelsea ate some of her food and her vomiting stopped. Few days back, we noticed Chelsea has been behaving strangely. She still plays and looks really active but she was breathing abnormally and looked sick. We were pretty confused as a dog usually will not play when they are sick. We monitored her situation for two days and finally decided to bring her to see the vet again.

This time, the vet looked at her more thoroughly and even did a X-ray scan for her. After the X-ray scan, the vet found out that Chelsea is suffering from lungs infection. She was given an antibiotic jab and now she looks better. Though the medical bill may be little ex but Chelsea's health is more important to us! She has been part of us and we can't bear to see her suffering in pain.

Get well soon, Chelsea!

P.S. This Saturday we will be going for Renee 4D scan. Excited! Previously, the doc said Ju's tummy did not meet up to expectation but after an ultrasound in Elmore, Renee looks fine!

Planning Our Next Adventure

After working for some time, it is time to take a break. We are looking towards the Labour Day weekend and are deciding where to go during the holiday. Shall we go to LA? LV?  Seattle? Maybe San Francisco?

With Ju at the 3rd trimester, we want to go out and enjoy ourselves before she eventually gave birth to our princess. Vegas is on my mind as there are lots of asian restaurants that can satisfied our search for delicious asian delicacies. LA. We have not been to LA for a long time. Despite, there will be a Taiwanese food fare there. Man... that's a difficult decision to make. Anyway, both locations are awesome places to take a break.

With Ju at third trimester,  I want her to enjoy all the delicious food! Our little one has been pretty active lately. Seems like training to be the next MMA champion like Ronda Rousey. Lol!

Second Trimester

Right before we went to Seattle, Ju was officially into her second trimester. We had an ultrasound scan when Ju was 20 weeks. It is a joy to see Renee being so active yet cooperating with the medical tech as she took some readings. 

"Everything is looking good and your baby is so coorperative!" Despite Ju small tummy, Renee is slightly bigger than her actual measurement. That comforts us abit as we were concerned that Renee is not growing. The medical tech told us that Ju's height was the reason why her tummy wasnt showing and we put our worry to rest. 

3 more weeks to the next level. Can't wait for the next scan. 😊😊😊

The Ironman

Thanks Ju for getting the Avengers version basketball shoes!!! There are few models that includes the Ironman, Hulk, Captain America and Thor. 

The most popular one is the Ironman version and that is what Ju got for me! Love it!! Thanks Honey! 

Not sure if I will wear it everytime as I dont want to spoil it! 

Seattle, WA Day 2

Day 2, energy replenished. We woke up early and set off to have a dim sum breakfast. The dim sum was as delicious as the ones in San Francisco. After breakfast, we went to a nearby TCM to get some essential herb for Ju and our baby. :)

 

Thereafter we went to a premium outlet which is 45 mins away for some shopping. Next we went to Ding Tai Feng for dinner. Damn! It has been so long that we had Ding Tai Feng. It is so delicious!!

We ate like no tmr and thanks to our friends, Yip, Hwee Da, and Pang for the treat. So thankful! 

After the dinner, we went to see firework in town. Cant compared to those in NDP but still beautiful.

That sums up the two days tour in Seattle. Ju totally loves the place and the next we visit, should be with our little  princess. 

Seattle, WA Day 1

Been very busy at work for the past two weeks. There is so much to do yet so little time. Looking at the bright side, our baby is 5 months already! Ju's stomach is not showing yet but the ultrasound showed our little one measured 5 months 5 days. It's really great to hear the good news! 

After spending so much time at work, it is time to have a break. We joined our friends to Seattle for 3 days during the July 4th weekend! It's a little short and we didnt get much sleep either. We woke up early in the morning to catch our flight to Seattle. The first place we went was Habour Place which sells Dim sum. There is no good Dim Sum in Idaho, therefore when we travel, dim sum restaurant is usually our first stop. After the rest reached Seattle, we met at Facing East restaurant for lunch. Facing East restaurant sells Taiwanese delicacies and we love Taiwanese food!! The food is fantastic and tasted totally like in Taiwan.

Next, we went to Pike street market. As it was a little too late, we couldnt catch a glimpse of how they passed the fish around but we did visited the Bubble gum wall and yea, it is disgusting. 

For dinner, we went to highly recommended restaurant, Crab Pot. Ok, this place is totally overrated. The queue is long but the seafood was mediocre. They arent fresh! From the live oysters to the crab legs. Disappointing. Besides, it is costly! 

That pretty much sum up day one. It is tiring but it is worth it! 

June update

Wow! It's more than a month since we last posted. Alot of things been happening and kept us busy. Firstly, May rotation. Our friends went back to SG for good and YW came to join us. Had our farewell and welcome party. 

Next, we thought we will know the gender of our little one when we went for an appointment in early June but only to have update about her condition. Everything is well and healthy. In next two weeks, we will know the gender. Likely, a little girl. 

We sold our Malibu and bought a Sedona for the expanding family. But just yesterday, our Sedona got bumped. The fender and bonnet need some work for it to be closed nicely. These few days we were busy again with two more friends leaving and joining us. Finally they are settled down.

Weekends been busy. Busy attending company event. Family day, family picnic and farewell dinner. It's tiring but it is somehow important. Hopefully the repair in our sedona isn't expensive and most significantly, our baby is healthy! Cant wait to see her!

13 weeks scan

She's really active as she keeps moving when the technician was carrying out the ultrasound scan. I don't know why I keep saying she has my nose. Her nose looks sharp. Lol! 

Well, it is still too early to tell but based on the technician's experience, it looks like it's a girl. Feeling excited! 

Fart Wars

Omg!! Gas! Gas! Gas! I'm suffocated in fart! Help!!! 

Wags (Mountain Home)

For the past one year, we have been searching for a cheap and good place for dog grooming. In the past, Chelsea didn't have proper grooming in Singapore and we thought it will be nice to make her look good in the states. 

After sometime, we found Wags. It was located in downtown Mountain Home and was located at 235 N 2nd E St, Mountain Home. The place is neat and the groomers are experienced. It costed about $45 for each visit. 

Today, we brought Chelsea for grooming and she looked beautiful! I think Wags is one of the best place in Mountain Home to get your dog groom! Thank you

Moca's Surgery

5 months now and we thought it is better to spay Moca before she has her period. We have been talking for awhile and finally made an appointment with Knight Vet to get her surgery done. 

There are bad reviews about Knight Vet but that's the only one we know that did the surgery. I have always been pessimistic about the place and keep having the impression that it was a run down place. Ju sent Moca for the surgery and that evening we received a friendly call from the clinic to update us on Moca's condition. 

Next day, I went to collect Moca. To my surprise, the place was pretty well organized and clean. The receptionist was professional and friendly! They loved Moca! She reminded me to be cautious as Moca had 3 staples to her wound and to bring her back to remove them in two weeks time. All my doubts on the clinic was cleared. After Chelsea's period, we are bringing her to spay too. 

11 weeks

We are so excited today as it is our baby's 11th week screening. No more frightening moments and when the doc measure, our little one is 11 weeks 6 days now. The doc was really nice as he took some photos on our little one. The fascinating thing was she moved! Omg! We were so overjoy and everytime the doc tried to take a picture, she will turn away. #camerashy 

Can't wait for the 13th week screening. 

Dynasty Warriors 8

Man! We just spent 2 hours on playing Dynasty Warriors 8 on our new console, PS4! It was pretty fun if you guys played together. This DW is different from the previous one as there are more missions to accomplish than just killing your enemy. It may not be a new game but it pretty worth the price!

P.S. Two more days! So excited! 

Playstation 4

We just bought a pre-owned playstation 4 for USD 400! When I saw the post on Mountain Home Classified, I knew it's a great deal! It was sold as a bundle by a private owner and it consisted of the console with 2 controllers, a charging dock, 5 games (I don't like any of them) and a headset that cost $100! 

We're really lucky to have such a deal! Blessed! 

Fetal Doppler

We are kind of worried after series of heavy bleeding and past experience. Ju has wanted a fetal Doppler to check the baby's heart beat at times. Initially, I refused to get her one as it might cause her to paranoid if she can't detect any heartbeat. Well, from what we learnt from the medical technician from the hospital, the fetus has to be at least 12 weeks for us to listen the heart beat using the fetal Doppler.

After much persuasion by Ju, I decided to buy her one. As she has already done her research, we bought a Fetal Doppler from fetaldoppler.net for USD 45.95. It was slightly different from the one in the hospital. After few days, we received the item while Ju was at 9 weeks.

She played with the equipment and she had a hard time finding the heartbeat. There wasn't any significant result and she became a little paranoid day by day. Now, she's going in her 11th week. To me, maybe the fetal Doppler is not as good as those used in the hospital. I would stay cool and wait for the next appointment to come next week.

For those who are thinking of buying one, I suggest u think twice. The Doppler might not be reliable till 12 weeks. Besides, it will cause you to be paranoid if you can't hear the heartbeat.

Here's the pic on how the Fetal Doppler looked like:

P.S. Can't wait for the appointment next Tuesday! Stay tuned for our good news!!!

Relieved II

Relieved! He's good! Thank God! 

In Suspense

2 weeks on, here's an another frightening  moment for us. Off we went to UCC to make sure things are fine. I was staring into spaces as Ju went for ultrasound. She came back with a smile but nothing's confirm as the medical tech kept mum. Waiting for the doc to give us the answer. 

Playing with the Doppler. 

Remember Mr Lee Kuan Yew

23 Mar 2015, 3.18am, we lost a very significant political leader and the founding father of our nation, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. 

Without you, we will never have become a first world nation. We will not have a comfortable living environment, a proper education and we will not be able to return home safely at wee hours. You left behind a legacy. National Day Parade will never be the same without your presence. We thank you for the sacrifices you have made to create a successful Singapore. 

Mr Lee, you will always be in our hearts and minds. May you rest in peace. 

Relieved

Fear was growing inside me. The phobia from past experience left me terrified and worried. The doc proceeded with the first check and The answer was positive. "It's closed." I was relieved for the time being. He proceeded to do a scan and said:" There's the heartbeat." I felt so relieved. I have never been in such state that I was very anxious to know what the doc said. I almost burst into tears after hearing the results. Tears of happiness or rather tears of relieve. Please keep fighting! You're doing well and you've got my back. 

Fight, Fight!

You gave us a fright today. Stay strong and fight! Everyday is a challenge but don't let your guards down. We are always there for you! Keep fighting! 

Welcome Home

Welcome home! After 6 weeks, Ju is finally back to my side. Woo hoo! She's really jaded after a long flight and is adjusting back to the time zone here. 

Fight!

Mishap exists and usually it comes with unfortunate. We do not what's the cause and we are heartbroken. We are not giving up any hope. We want you to fight. Be brave and fight against the odds. Never give up. 

God Bless

Life's can be unpredictable at times and hopefully this time will be blessed. Two more weeks and Ju will be back. Can't wait! 

P.S. Just lost my Grand aunt. Hope she's enjoying Grandma's and Dad's company in the other side of the world. 

Happy Lunar New Year

Happy Lunar New Year! I missed Ju already despite we having a small little 'discussion' in the morning. The first Lunar New year we celebrate as man and wife. Hope she's having a good time in SG. Chelsea, Moca and I are spending the Lunar New Year watching movies. This morning, as daddy, I gave them Ang Pows! 

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

As Ju went back to SG for a month, I am prepared to cook my own meals. I'm not a really good cook but at least I know what is a cooked chicken looked like and how a cooked beef tasted like. 

For the past few days, I was fortunate. Firstly, Agnes prepared dinner for me last week and also my lunch for these two days. She made SG food like minced pork noodles and hokkien mee! Really awesome!

Besides, Nisha and Rajesh prepared dinner for me. Man! Nisha's steam promfret was delicious! Tasted just like any Teochew steam fish! Can you imagine a Indian lady preparing Teochew steam fish?!?! 

This is what friends are for. I'm really grateful to them for making me such wonderful meals while my lovely wife is away. Of course, Ju, I can't wait for you to be back. Your meals are filled with love, sweat and nagging! Missed your whining and happy go crazy attitude that bring this house joy and laughter! 

Happy 27

Happy birthday to my lovely wife! Stay pretty and healthy always! Hope you enjoy your birthday present! ✈️✈️✈️

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, a day celebrated by couples to appreciate each other's love. Every year Ju and I will just go out to eat and we don't really celebrate Valentine's Day as there's more important dates for us to celebrate in the month of February. 

This year is slightly different. Ju returned to SG to celebrate Lunar New Year. But nevertheless, I love you honey! The little girls too! 

Moca Love